Breaking the rules
by lederra
Summary: Morgan and others finally learn the truth about the identity of Struass's husband.
1. Who is it?

Breaking the Rules

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Criminal Minds wish I did but I do not, they belong solely to their creator and as such I do not make any money from this story or any other that I write on this site.

A/N: This is my first ever criminal Minds story so I hope it goes well and you the reader like it. I always do what I call taster chapters as the first chapter of any story I write, just to see if people would like it.

Summary: Everyone makes their way back into the office after the holidays and New Year celebrations but two members of staff have done something different, they've broken the fraternization rules in a big way.

* * *

It was still early on in the day when the various workers in the FBI headquarters made their way back into their various offices at Quantico; Reid had almost been late this morning and was currently stuck at the back of the lift going up to his floor. In front of him were several agents from other departments, some he knew and others he did not, it were two of the agents he did not know who were discussing a rumour that they had heard a few days before.

"Did you hear about Section Chief Strauss?"

"Hear what?"

"She got married on New Year's Eve, heard her secretary talking about it with a co-worker yesterday in the canteen."

"Married…..Who would marry that old trout?"

"Well someone did."

Both agents shook their heads in disbelief that anyone would marry someone like her. In fact they were not the only ones as Reid noticed several others who had been listening in to the conversation shake their heads in disbelief that anyone would want to marry Erin Strauss.

Reid felt someone nudge him in the side and he turned his head to look, an agent that he knew briefly from a case he had worked on, arched an eyebrow at him as she nodded towards the two discussing his section chief's marriage.

"What you think about this Spencer, after all she is your boss?"

Reid pondered for a moment before answering, chewing his lower lip as he thought how he should answer before shrugging at the question.

"Good luck to her and her new husband, everyone deserves to be happy."

In front of him agents turned in shock that someone would actually wish the one that they all regarded as old dragon happiness. Reid stared back at them unperturbed by their shocked looks, a few of the agents who knew him were not at all surprised as they knew that he did not have a bad thing to say about most people even the criminals that they hunted, he even tried to find something nice about them. That was just Reid's way, he accepted that there were monsters in the world but he always tried to find something good about even the worst of society.

Shaking their heads at Reid and grinning that there was one person in the lift who had dared to say something different to what everyone well nearly everyone was thinking.

"You sure about that Reid, I mean she makes life hell for you and your team mates, the amount of times she has tried to split you all up and make you go to other departments."

Reid looked over at Anderson, he knew that Strauss actually thought that Anderson might make a very good agent one day but he refrained from letting his colleague know that as he replied to his question.

"I know she does not like my team but as I say, everyone deserves happiness. Who knows maybe this marriage if it is true and not a rumour will change her."

Before anyone could reply to Reid's statement, the doors pinged and opened signalling that they had reached the floor that the BAU was to be found and Reid shouldered his way through to the front before they could shut again.

xXx

Section Chief Strauss had been in her office for almost an hour before most other's had made it into the bureau, she glanced down at her hands and focused on the finger on her left hand that sported two new rings, one was a simple plain gold band and the other was an engagement ring, this too was of a simple design with a single solitaire.

She grinned as she glanced down at the two rings and could not believe that she had actually got married on New Year's Eve and to a man that, she smiled as she thought for a moment about her new husband, a man that no one least of all herself would have thought she would have married. They say that opposites attract she thought and that was one thing that could be said about her new husband, he was the total opposite to her.

* * *

A/N: That's all for now folks! Just who has Strauss married? If you think you know or want to hazard a guess than please review and let me know. Oh and HAPPY NEW YEAR one and all.


	2. Surprise

A/N: Hadn't planned to upload another chapter today but what the heck!

* * *

Reid breathed in a sigh of relief as he finally finished the pile of paperwork that had seemed to have taken root on his desk, he could have sworn it was not as high as it had been when he had left before the holidays to visit his mom in Vegas but then again he thought to himself, Morgan and Prentiss had probably added some of their own files to the pile.

Glancing at the clock on the wall above the door to Hotch's office he saw that it was only three hours into his shift and glancing back at his now cleared desk he decided to head to the break room and grab himself a mug of coffee and perhaps five minutes of peace and quiet before the rest of his co-workers finished their paperwork. Not only that he wanted to check his messages, to see if any had been left for him.

Grabbing his mug off the table he headed out passing Morgan who was still laboriously steaming through the files on his desk. Noticing his team mate heading off towards the break room, he grabbed his own mug and followed, he had heard all about Chief Strauss this morning in his way into the building and he wanted to pick Reid's brain on who he thought it was she had married and what sort of man would put up with her.

He knew that a book was already running on it and he wanted to be in with a chance of winning the pot and if anyone could work it out, he reasoned to himself than that person would be Reid. Slipping in behind the genius, he placed his mug on the counter making Reid jump almost a meter in the air.

"Whoa, calm down pretty boy. What has got you so distracted that you didn't you realise that I was behind you?"

Reid recovering from his fright placed his own mug on the counter taking a few seconds to recover before he faced his friend and co-worker.

"Morgan you scared the life out of me then."

Shoving his phone back into his pants pocket hoping that he did not see the message on it but fortunately Morgan was too busy studying Reid's face and his eyes that held the expression of a deer caught in the headlights, to notice the phone that his co-worker shoved hastily into his pocket.

"Sorry about that Spencer, I honestly did not realise that you had not noticed me behind you."

Morgan studied Reid for a moment, noting his almost freaked out expression and the slightly scared expression on Reid's face.

"Are you alright Reid, you look a bit scared. As if you're hiding something….you're not hiding something are you Reid?"

"What me, no! You just gave me a heart attack is all. Have you never thought of making a noise when you move Morgan?"

Reid turned back to the counter reaching for the coffee pot which he saw with disgust needed refilling, he shoved it back into the machine and reached out to pick up his travel mug.

"Thought you came in for coffee?"

"Coffee is finished and it does not look like it has been refilled. I'm popping down to the canteen to grab some."

Reid growled at Morgan, moving to go back to his desk. Morgan stayed where he was watching his co-worker as he left the room in an apparent bad mood. Although they had promised one another that they would never profile each other, he noted that the bad mood did not seem to reach Reid's eyes although it seemed like he was in a bad mood by the way he was walking all hunched, heading for the lift his travel mug still in his hand.

xXx

Chief Strauss's secretary headed for the bullpen of the BAU, she had a job to do for her boss and she noticed the moment that she entered the room that several agents who rather unsuccessfully tried to look busy as she made her way to one of the desks of their colleagues, were watching her as she approached the desk.

The desk was empty the agent who should have been there was someplace else. Shaking her head, she thought it was just typical that this agent was missing from his desk, glancing around the room she noticed agent Morgan who had just re-entered the bullpen from the break room, she smiled as she approached him as he made his way to his desk.

xXx

Reid leaned backwards against the furthest wall of the lift, breathing in the aroma of the coffee in his travel mug as the lift slowly made its way back to his floor, he was still two floors away from the BAU and he closed his eyes for a moment just savouring the smell of the coffee and smiled, he did not even opening his eyes when the doors pinged open and another person entered the compartment.

"Tired already Dr Reid?"

Snapping his eyes open, Reid found himself sharing the lift with Section Chief Strauss who was watching him with an arched eyebrow and a small smile on her face that looked an awful lot like a smirk, as she studied the young agent beside her.

"Uh no ma'am….I was just…..umm….savouring a moment or two of peace."

Reid stumbled over his words as he tried to explain to his department boss what he was doing in the lift with his eyes closed looking for the entire world like he was asleep.

"Relax Dr Reid, I'm not going to fire you for wanting a moment or two of peace from the madness of the BAU. I know how stressful your job is."

Reid smiled as he glanced down looking a little ashamed at being caught asleep by her, he glanced back up quickly as he heard her speak again.

"So how has your morning been Dr Reid?"

"Just fine ma'am, lots of file to deal with now I am back in the office mam."

"More than when you went away?"

"Ma'am?"

"Agent Reid, I know that your team mates add to the pile on your desk."

"They don't Ma'am."

Reid spluttered as he tried to deny his mates added to his pile and therefore added to his workload. Strauss watched him as he tried to cover for his team mate's actions, he knew that Strauss would not approve of their actions but he was determined to protect his team from her.

Strauss smiled as she watched his attempts to protect those he cared about and thought how that were one of the things that she loved so much about him. Reaching towards the emergency stop button on the panel by the door, she impulsively hit it before she leaned forward towards him and kissed her new husband right there and then on the lips.


	3. talks

It was mid-afternoon by the time Morgan managed to finish his paperwork and he had a chance to stop again, he had been so busy that he had even eaten a sandwich at his desk rather than head off down to the canteen. Looking across the bullpen he spotted Reid reading through a book, having finished off his own paperwork earlier that morning, he had helped out the rest of them in the office well when he had come back from grabbing himself some coffee down at the canteen.

Morgan leaned back in his chair as he studied his friend and colleague, Reid looked like different he thought to himself as he studied him, they had always promised one another in the team that they would not try to profile one another but sometimes it was just so damn hard at times, it was something they all did subconsciously every single day and most of the time they never thought about it.

"What are you up to Morgan?"

Morgan glanced up at the voice and spotted Prentiss smirking at him as she studied him studying Reid.

"Nothing."

He smirked back but Prentiss was not going to be put off that easily, though not as obvious to anyone else she too had been quietly profiling Reid since he had come back from his coffee run. For some reason he had seemed a little flustered and out of breath and she had been a little concerned, she knew that it could not have been from climbing the stairs because she had seen him coming out of the lift and as she thought about it the person he had been exerting the lift with had seemed a bit flustered as well, at the time she had not really thought about it because that person had been Strauss but now as she started to put things together in her head.

"The sly little so in so."

Prentiss grinned as she figured out or at least thought she had figured out why both of them might look a little flustered. She had overheard Strauss's secretary talking with a friend yesterday in the canteen after the rumour about her boss getting married started to circulate the bureau that Strauss's new husband was a fellow FBI agent and that it was someone who worked in the BAU.

Morgan noticing her smile and the look in her eyes, as well as hearing her comment became intrigued.

"Who's the sly so in so Prentiss, hope you don't think it is me because I can assure you I am not."

"Not you Morgan, Reid."

"Reid?"

Morgan frowned as Prentiss answered him he was unsure why Prentiss thought that Reid was a sly so in so.

"Why is Reid a sly so in so?"

"He's worked out who Strauss has married, I am sure of it."

"How you figure that out?"

"You now when he went to get coffee from the canteen when there was none here earlier, well he exited the lift and he looked really flustered as did the other person who was in the lift with him."

Morgan was for a moment confused at her explanation.

"It was Strauss who was in the lift with Reid, Morgan and she looked flustered as well."

Morgan looked at her as if he thought she was off her rocker. Reid not far from the two profilers, listening to them discuss Strauss and her new husband and the fact that they thought that Reid knew who had done the deed with their boss, the young agent grinned as he thought what his two friends would say if they knew just how close and yet at the same time they were off the mark about how he knew who had married their boss.

xXx

Hotch was sitting in his office when he received a phone call from Jenny, Strauss's secretary who informed him that the woman in question wanted to see him straight away. Sighing after he had put the phone back down and before getting up to answer the dragon's call he glanced out across the bullpen down below.

He could see his team at their desks, Reid was reading some book but he could see that he was also discretely listening to Prentiss and Morgan as they spoke with what looked like excitable but hushed tones and it was at times like this he wished he was be able to read lips but despite that he was fairly certain what the topic of their conversation was, the surprise wedding of Erin Strauss and some mystery man.

Knowing that the woman was waiting for him to show in his office, he decided not to keep her waiting any longer than necessary he proceeded out of the door, moving swiftly down the stairs and crossing the floor of the bullpen before anyone could stop him. As he walked he pondered on what it was that she wanted to see him about, as far as he knew there was nothing that he or his team had done since returning to work that could have resulted in his summons to her office.

xXx

"So who do you think it is that Strauss has married?"

Reid looked up to see both Prentiss and Morgan looking at hi expectantly, as if they thought that he knew something that they did not.

"How would I know?"

Prentiss smiled as she leaned back on her seat and studied the genius as he tried to deny knowing anything about Strauss's husband, she could see that he was lying even though he tried hard to look innocent and like he was telling the truth.

"Well you were in the lift for her for quite a while this morning and when you exited the lift you looked really flustered."

"I was in the lift with her for a while because the lift got stuck between floors and it was not really those long only ten minutes and anyway any one would be flustered being stuck in the lift with her."

Prentiss's smile just got bigger as she studied him, her eyes gleaming with undisguised humour as she watched him splutter.

"So what did the two of you talk about?"

"Nothing."

Reid grinned to himself as he remarked that nothing had happened between himself and Strauss in the lift, well nothing had been said between the two of them but that did not necessarily mean that nothing had happened. He had been almost surprised when Erin had stopped the lift and then kissed him deeply on the lips but then that had not been the first time that she had been spontaneous. Her occasional acts of spontaneity had been what had attracted him to her in the first place.

"We don't believe you Reid, the two of you talked about her wedding didn't you?"

Reid went to answer that no they hadn't but instead he just smiled at his two friends.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"


	4. Splitting the team

Hotch contemplated what he had been told earlier in the day, if he was honest with himself he was not happy about the present situation that was affecting his team but he understood the reasons for it. When he had been summoned to see Strauss, he had felt a small amount of unease, he had not known why but for some time he had been aware of interest in one of his team members from another agency and although he did not like the idea of them trying to poach said team member, he could also see the reasoning behind why they wanted him so bad.

Although he would be sorry to lose him and he knew the team would be quite broken up about what was about to happen but as he sat back in his chair and waited for the agent in question to come and talk to him, he thought about the other news he had been told while in Strauss's office.

He was so deep in his thoughts he almost missed the quiet knock at his door but he glanced up and saw Dave as he entered the room. Smiling at his old friend he gestured to the chair in front of his desk and reached for the bottle in his drawer, he knew that both of them would need a drink before the end of the discussion that was about to take place.

xXx

The inviting smell of meat cooking in the kitchen greeted Reid as he got home, breathing in deeply and savouring the smell as he entered the kitchen, he slipped behind his new wife slipping his arms around her waist as she cooked at the stove. Leaning back slightly as she kept an eye on the diced chicken as it sizzled away in the frying pan; Erin allowed herself a moment to snuggle back in her husband's arms before returning to finish browning off the chicken before placing it in a casserole dish and then placed it in the oven for 40 minutes to cook slowly.

Nibbling her ear, Reid savoured not just the moment of spending time with the amazing woman that he had fallen in love with which if someone had told him two years ago that not only would he be getting married but married to his boss no less, he would have laughed at them and most likely had tried to get them admitted to a sanatorium like that which his mother was presently incarcerated in.

"That smells good."

Erin smiled as her new husband appreciated her cooking skills, that had been one thing in fact one of the few things they had in common, the love of good home cooked food that the two of them shared. It had surprised her a little at first that Spencer was so good at cooking but then she had reminded herself that he had had to be able to cook from a very young age so it was not all that surprising really that he was so good in the kitchen.

"It will take about 40 minutes before it is cooked, if you want a shower."

"Mmmmmm….Sounds good but only if you take one with me Mrs Reid."

Smiling Erin turned and wrapped her arms around her husband and grinned impishly as she answered.

"That was what I had in mind."

xXx

The following morning everyone was in early even though they only had paperwork to do. In fact most of the team had finished what paperwork that they had had to do and were now twiddling their thumbs as they wondered what it was they could do with their time.

The door to their offices opened a rather over built man entered the room, dressed impeccably in a three piece suit, he looked like an overweight CEO of some company and for a moment it looked as though he had entered the wrong office as he gazed around in what looked like momentary confusion as he tried to spot someone that he knew. Spotting Spencer sitting at his desk the stranger made his way over to the young profiler, a broad smile spreading across his face as he approached him.

"Morning Dr Reid, how are you this fine morning?"

Spencer jumped slightly as he glanced up at the over bearing figure of the man next to his tidy desk that now longer was covered with files. Grinning at the man standing there, he stood and offered his hand and smiling widely himself before replying.

"Good morning Director Lundz, what brings you here?"

"Im here at the invitation of your director to see your team leader, my agency and yours are finally looking at working together, pooling our resources so to speak."

Spencer frowned as he wondered what it was that director Lundz was referring to but however before he could ask, Hotch made an appearance at his desk having spotted Director Lundz as he entered the bullpen from his office.

He held his hand out and shook the hand of the NSA director, welcoming him to the BAU and asking him to follow him to the conference room.

"Spencer could you grab the rest of the team and then all of you come to the conference room in just a few moments please."

"Sure Hotch."

As Spencer darted off to find the rest of their team Hotch and Director Lundz made their way to the conference room, conversing quietly as they made their way there. As the two men moved away, heads turned from agents at other desks interested in what it was the NSA director was doing at the BAU and many of them had heard what he had said to Spencer about their two agencies pooling their resources so there was a little concern as well. They all knew that because of the present financial situation that there had been some cutbacks so the curiosity started to abound at just what was going on.

xXx

As Hotch's team made their way into the conference room, they were all curious about the man standing next to Hotch except for Spencer who already knew Eric Lundz and vaguely knew what he was doing there, he remembered Erin mentioning something about the NSA setting up their own equivalent of the BAU and he wondered for a moment if this was what the director was doing here. Settling himself down at the table he waited patiently until the rest of the team had entered the room including Garcia who Hotch had phoned and asked to come to the conference room.

"Everybody here, good. This is Director Lundz of the NSA and he is here to talk to us about the NSA and FBI pooling resources."

"Resources?" Morgan asked from where he was sitting in his usual place next to Spencer. He had been curious when he had seen the man enter the bullpen but now he was concerned at the mention of resources.

Director Lundz stepped forward, smiling as he surveyed the BAU top team of profilers, he could see the concern on their faces and he wanted to put them at their ease.

"There is nothing to worried about agent Morgan, for some time it was felt that having the best profilers with the FBI was unfortunate and so our two agencies have decided to form a joint BAU, made up of certain profilers from the FBI and the NSA. To start with both agencies will run this group until it is decided by those higher up which will be the best agency for the new team. Then the profilers of the new team once they are established will move to that agency."

"Hold on a minute is you telling us that you are splitting up our team?"

"Not at all."


	5. New Horizons

A/N: I am so sorry for the time it has taken to upload this chapter; afraid I hit a bit of a writer's block on this story and had to wait until it had returned from where it had disappeared off into parts unknown before I could continue.

xXx

It had been a long few weeks for those who had been chosen to take part in a probationary joint team, comprising of members of the FBI's BAU and the NSA. Not all the agents who had taken part in the last few weeks to form the interagency team would remain after the initial probation time but for those who did, life would never be the same as it had been in their old jobs.

There had been a few moments of friendly rivalry between those agents from the different agencies and a fair bit of good natured rivalry between those of the same agencies. From the BAU there were at least seven agents amongst them Morgan and Reid as well as Anderson and at the very last minute Strauss had joined them, something that none of those agents from the FBI had expected.

Her arrival had certainly put the cats amongst the pigeons again about who her husband might be, they had all more or less agreed that the rumour about her husband being a fellow FBI agent was true and as they all knew couples were not allowed to work in the same department or team, especially if one was of a higher rank than the other and the possibility of her husband being in the BAU was high and all of them had their own ideas on who her husband could be, all agreeing that her husband was most likely of a higher rank than their boss hence her inclusion in this new team, all that is except Reid.

If anything he was the one member of the BAU who all the other agents agreed totally on, that there was no way he was the one that Strauss had married, if her husband was not of a higher rank to her and Reid secretly had smiled to himself when he had heard that. He knew that Erin had had a hard time not smiling when the same thing had been said to her by one of the more senior agents from the NSA.

Indeed the agent in question had been making eyes at Reid for the last few weeks and making suggestive comments whenever the two of them had bumped into each other, something he was getting pretty tired of. He had never thought of himself to be of interest to the opposite sex and he was pretty certain that the woman was harassing him as a joke.

Today was the last day of the probationary period for the new team and everyone was on tender hooks over who would and would not be chosen. Although Reid and Morgan had both enjoyed their time in the new team over the past few weeks both had agreed that they did not really want to leave their old team so they were in conundrum about what to do if they were chosen.

"Hey they are putting up the list of those who have made the shortlist for the new team."

Anderson told them as he approached them, of all the BAU agents he was the one that Reid had guessed would be more than happy to transfer into the new team, he and one other an agent Lomax who he knew only vaguely. Approaching the noticeboard where the list was hanging they noticed several agents grimacing as they moved away to allow to look and both men saw that neither of their names were on the list, both gaving an inward sigh of relief.

"I'm on the list."

They heard Anderson squeak as he spied his name near the bottom, in fact just he and Lomax from the BAU had made the list, none of the other five agents had and they noticed as they read further down the list that Strauss's name was on it.

"Looks like we are losing Strauss," Morgan muttered.

"Well she can't very well stay in the same department as her husband cans she, I mean she and her husband whoever he is has already broken the rules by just getting married."

Morgan turned and looked at his best friend, frowning for a moment as he thought about Spencer's words. Suddenly grinning he knew without doubt that Spencer knew who Strauss's husband was.

"Okay spill pretty boy."

"Spill?"

Spencer looked like a deer caught out in the open, looking as though he was hunting for some way to escape. Morgan leaned forward until he was in Spencers personal space, smirking at his friends discomfort.

"You know who Strauss's husband is."

"So what if I do, I can't tell you who it is but I promise you, everyone will know who it is by the end of today, he is going to be with Strauss at tonight's dance."

xXx

Everyone was abuzz with the news, well everyone from the FBI side of the team, Anderson had overheard Spencer tell Morgan that the identity of Strauss's husband would be revealed this evening and people were looking forward to finally finding out just who this man was.

Everyone was congratulating those who had made the new team and commiserating with those who had not. Neither Reid nor Morgan were upset at not making the team and both men had been very forward in congratulating both Anderson and Lomax, both of whom were still somewhat stunned at having made it on the team.

Checking the time, all the agents present saw that it wouldnot be long until the party that had been arranged for the end of the probationary period and all wanted to go tonight whether they had made the permanent team or not.

After all no one had as yet, apart from Spencer it seemed, had worked out who Strauss's husband was and Spencer despite rather firm persuasion from Morgan and a couple of others had still not spilled the beans on who the man might be, so all were waiting with bated breath about discovering the truth identity of the man who they thought either had to be insane or a saint to take on Struass.

* * *

A/N: I've got the afternoon off today so I am going to be working on the final chapter and hopefully will have it posted by this evening. As always reviews are appreciated. :-))))))


	6. The truth revealed

The hour was getting late as Reid finished getting ready to go to tonight's party; he was excited that tonight finally he would be able to be with Erin in public yet at the same time oddly scared as well. He was concerned a little bit at the reaction of his colleagues, especially Morgan when they all found out that he and Strauss were married to one another.

As he struggled once more with his tie, he heard a gentle tapping on the door to his room and crossing quickly to the door, he opened it to find his wife standing there looking a little concerned as she hurried in just as the sound of Lomax and Anderson's voices carried down the hallway. They both sighed a sigh of relief at not being caught, as the two agent's voices passed the closed door and moved on down the hallway. They were clearly making their way as were others to the conference room where the party was due to be taking place.

Erin smiled as she watched the her slightly nervous husband absently chewing his lower lip as he strained to catch just what his former colleagues were saying as they carried on their merry way.

"Spencer it will be fine you know but if you want to keep our relationship secret a little longer, I will understand my love."

Spencer looked down at his wife as she waited for his reply with her arms around him, although he was nervous he still wanted the world to know the wonderful woman he held in his arms was his. Her innate understanding of his emotions and feelings was one of the things that he loved about her, even though at work she came across as hard faced and uncaring he above all others knew how caring she really was.

"No, I want the world to know you are mine and I am yours."

Spencer leaned deeper into the embrace that they were sharing and wanted nothing more for the two of them to stay this way, all evening but he knew as did Erin that people were waiting to find out who her husband was tonight and it would be unkind to not put them out of the misery. A mischievous thought came to his mind as he thought how they would make their entrance and he whispered in Erin's ear, his wife also smiling wickedly at his suggestion and nodding her head as they separated her eyes glistening with mischief.

xXx

The conference room had been transformed from the classroom and meeting room that it had been used as for the past few weeks by the two federal agencies concerned and instead of the dull boring like space it had seemed to have been like it had now been transformed into a bright but still formal dance room.

Tables were scattered around the edge of the in a hap hazared but brightly still formal and decorated manner and there were at least a half dozen seats at each table but different guests had added or removed seats from the various tables so they could sit with their friends and colleagues.

Morgan was currently sitting with Lomax and Anderson waiting for Reid to join them, he noted that his best friend and colleague was late and he was about to get up and go and see why his friend was late when he spotted him entering the room at the same time as Erin Strauss who was herself unaccompanied.

He watched while Strauss made her way over to another table and pondered where her husband was but he did not wonder for long when another man who he did recognise joined her at the table where she was sitting, he watched as the man grasped her hand and kissed it. So intent was he and the others at their table and indeed the same as everyone else in the room in watching the interaction between the two that he did not notice that Reid had finally joined them at the table.

"Sorry I'm late Morgan, had trouble with my tie."

Reid greeted him somewhat embarrassed at admitting he had problems with tying his tie. Grabbing the only remaining chair at the table, he slipped quickly into it as a waiter handed him a drink.

"Thank you," he said, thanking the man politely.

"Well who is he, does anyone know?"

Reid looked up to see who it was that Anderson was asking about and noted the interest that was being directed towards the table that Chief Strauss was sitting at and more importantly at the man who was sitting at her side. Grinning at the interest of those at the table and others in the room, he couldn't wait until the moment they all found out the truth.

"Well who is he, do you know Reid?"

Reid looked up at Anderson's question quizzically before glancing over to the table where his wife and one of the few people in the bureau who knew about their marriage was sitting and chatting oblivious it seemed of the interest of those around them.

"I'm not sure I have seen him around the BAU a few times."

"SPENCER!"

Morgan growled at him, irritation that Spencer was not revealing the man's identity to him and the others.

"Sorry Morgan, I wish I could tell you."

Spencer felt the presence of someone as they approached the table and he realised with a degree of irritation that it was the NSA agent who had been harassing him for the last few days with her innuendos, comments and the occasional touches as she had passed him in the hallways or rooms whenever she had spotted him. She had even tried to gain entry to his room one night but thankfully Erin had been coming down the roomhallway on the way to her own room and had ordered the woman to leave him alone.

"Hello Dr Reid enjoying the party so far is we?"

"I was….until now."

He told her somewhat irritated, she merely smirked at his words not taking in his sarcastic words thinking that he was trying to make one of his famous jokes. The music had just switched to a slow number and she was determined to have a dance with the man. Grabbing his hand, she hauled him up from the table much to the amusement of his colleagues who had aware of her interest in him from the beginning. Reid tried to pull back from her but she was unwilling to let go of his hand and she dragged him onto the dance floor.

"Come on let's dance Spencer, it is our last night here and if you are really lucky we can go somewhere else afterwards and dance to a different tune."

Reid tried to pull back at her words and untangle himself again from her embrace but she merely tightened her hold on him and before he could say or do anything to stop her another stepped in to save him.

"Please unhand Dr Reid and stop harassing him, I won't tell you again."

The woman turned as she felt another tap her on the shoulder and was a little irritated atnseeing an angry and indignant Erin Strauss standing behind her looking like she wanted nothing more than to throttle her where they stood. The rest of the people in the room had gone silent as they watched the interaction.

"Oh come on, I know he is one of your agents...sorry one of your former agents seeing as you are joining this new team but don't you think this is a bit tedious Chief Strauss, after all your husband is sitting at the table over there and you are worrying about another man. I mean really what he would say."

Erin leaned forward but everyone in the room heard her as she addressed the woman.

"That is not my husband sitting at the table but an old friend and as for Dr Reid he is not merely an agent but my husband….now unhand him."

A loud gasp seemed to flow around the room as people heard her words and there more that few sounds of glasses and jaws dropping as people reacted to her words. Reid glanced over to the table where Morgan and the others sat and the look of shock on their faces had him grinning with unashamed amusement, untangling himself finally from her unwanted embrace and speaking loud enough so that everyone heard him.

"Now if you do mind madam….I intend dance with my wife."

THE END.


End file.
